At this point, it seems like you’ll probably always be getting some kind of new Disney castle every few years. The magic of Disney is never going to stop, and if you’re a fan of those immaculate castles that appear across their films, you’ll probably just keep getting more and more excited as the studio gets all the more creative.
There have been a handful of incredible castles over the years, and while many of them can be a bit simplistic at first, fun twists and that classic Disney charm can make even the simplest design something special. You may love Disney characters, but here are the best Disney castles.
10 Frozen
While the 2013 mega-hit Frozen’s Arendelle Castle could go on a list like this, it would be much better to kick off with Elsa’s Ice Palace. Unlike many other Disney castles that go for small changes to the classic castle style, this palace is wholly unique.
It’s one of the most interesting Disney castles to look at, thanks to its striking icy exterior. The inside of the castle may not be the most exciting thing to look at, but if most people were being honest, they’d admit to caring purely about seeing that imposing building in the distance.
9 The Emperor’s New Groove
While technically a palace instead of a castle, the Royal Palace from The Emperor’s New Groove is a fantastic royal homestead. This film moved away from the usual European settings and instead took to South America for this great location. Luckily, Pacha is happy to help Kuzco find his way back home, even if Kuzco is a bit of a jerk.
Rather than seeing the standard castle, this building is shaped almost like a surprised person, giving the entire place a look like no other. It may lack the fortifications a castle has, but it sure does have plenty of guards willing to defend it at a moment's notice.
8 Sleeping Beauty
The castle in 1959’s Sleeping Beauty is a classic in the best way possible. You aren’t getting anything unique or overly done. Instead, you’re getting yourself one of the most simplistic yet majestic fairytale castles around.
While Princess Aurora might not have the happiest story, thanks to the curse that befalls her, she does have at least one reason to be happy. If nothing else, there are way worse places someone could end up falling into an eternal slumber in, and she didn’t even have to sleep all that long, thanks to her prince anyway.
7 Aladdin
Once again, a bit of a cheat because the Sultan’s Palace is, in fact, a palace and not a castle, but different places have different buildings, and when the palace looks this good and serves the same purpose, you can go ahead and count it. Plus, this movie gave you Abu, which must count for something.
The Sultan’s Palace is one of the most striking and interesting out of any of the royal dwellings in Disney movies. While you could get some of the castles mixed up, you won’t be mistaking Aladdin's location for any other throughout any of the Disney animated movies.
6 Snow White
1937’s Snow White might be an absolute classic for its timeless story, but it also could be considered a classic for having an incredible castle right from the start. Rather than something basic, this castle is atop a large mountain and surrounded by a beautiful lake.
The Queen really shouldn’t have been so worried about Snow White coming in and stealing all the beauty when the castle and land were doing that already. It is probably harder to bewitch your whole kingdom, but still, come on Queen.
5 Brave
Castle DunBroch from 2012’s Brave is one of the more understated castles in the Disney animated films, but it somehow still looks incredible. The duller nature of the castle just fits the overall mood of the film while still being memorable.
The castle fits the Scottish setting more than any other design could have, and those who were getting tired of the gaudy classical fantasy castles probably thought it was a breath of fresh air. It’s not as exciting as some might hope, but that’s kind of what makes it great.
4 Cinderella
The castle in Cinderella really is one of the best of the best when it comes to Disney’s efforts. The live-action version of the castle is certainly something to look at, but it somehow fails to capture the same kind of character that the animated version has.
The 1950 classic has this large bright white castle that proudly juts into the sky over the kingdom below. It manages to both look regal and a little bit imposing at the exact same time, making it a visual feast for your eyes.
3 Beauty And The Beast
The castle from Beauty And The Beast in both live-action and animation could be here for completely different reasons. The live-action gives the entire thing a bit more of a dreary look overall while making sure the inside is as extravagant as ever.
When it comes to the animated original, both the outside and inside of the castle are so striking that you probably don’t have much issue imagining them from anything but memory alone. The vibrant castle became an instant classic, and a big part of that was that classic ball scene.
2 Tangled
Corona Castle from 2010’s Tangled is a great location that manages to stand out thanks to its beautiful look and surroundings. Like some other castles, Corona Castle is surrounded by a body of water, leaving a large bridge as the main way to access it aside from by ship.
It’s another castle that has a classic look, but something about it seems like it wouldn’t work quite as well if it weren’t sticking out above the rest of the kingdom below. The entire kingdom has such a cohesive look that it’s hard not to gawk at it.
1 The Little Mermaid
King Triton’s Palace from the animated version of The Little Mermaid is absolutely one of the best castles in Disney’s history. It’s another location that you could picture perfectly in your head without having seen it for years.
The sandy gold outside of the palace shimmering in the ocean really is one of the most striking visuals in any Disney movie to date. The palace under the sea really makes it hard to see why Ariel would ever want to leave, even if it probably is a good thing that she did.